Air compressor



Feb, 19, 1935.

c. L. ARMSTRONG AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Nov. 14, 1933 INVENTOR BY MjC/iz/wwATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to compressors adapted for developing low andmedium pressures and has for the primary object the provision of adevice of the above stated character which will supply clean air free oflubricant or lubricant vapor and consists of a minimum number of partswhich are self-lubricated during the operation of the device.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l isa vertical sectional view illustrating a compressor constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the same.

My invention consists of a compressor unit 1 and an operating medium 2therefor which also provides a support for the compressor unit and thelatter consists of vertically arranged supporting elements 3 havingsecured to their upper ends a compressor plate 4 provided with an outletpipe 5 having a check valve 6 therein. The outlet pipe 5 is threaded inan opening formed in the compressor plate 4 and communicative with theopening is a diaphragm or bellows 7 consisting of sections 8 and 9suitably sealed together and the section 8 is secured to the compressorplate 4 by fasteners 10 while the section 9 is secured to a movablecompressor plate 11 by fasteners 12. The plate 11 is provided with athreaded opening to receive the threaded end of a combined operatingmedium and air intake 13. The medium 13 is in the form of a shaftmounted for vertical movement and the upper end is of hollow formationto form a chamber 14 in communication with the atmosphere by ports 15.Mounted in the chamber 14 is a check valve 16. The medium 13 is adaptedfor vertical reciprocation which movement extends and collapses thediaphragm or bellows '7 for the purpose of drawing air therein andexpelling the trapped air through the outlet pipe 5. It is to beunderstood that the outlet pipe 5 is to be connected to a storage tankor like device.

The unit 2 consists of a casing 17 of separable sections 18 and 19suitably secured together and the lower vsection 19 forms a crank caseto receive lubricant with the lower end thereof terminating in a base20. The upper section 18 is dome-shaped and is provided with a bearing21 slidably receiving the shaft 13 while the lower end of the shaft isslidably mounted in a cylinder 22 formed integrally with the base andarranged invertical alignment with the bearing 21. The intermediateportion of the shaft 13 is in the form of a bearing frame 23 in which ismounted an anti-friction bearing 24 mounted to the crank 25 of a crankshaft 26. The crank shaft 26 is arranged horizontally or at right anglesto the shaft 13 and is supported by antifriction bearings 27 mounted inthe casing 1'7. The outer end of the crank shaft is provided with apulley 28 over which may be trained a belt of a power source.

The lower end of the shaft 13 provides a'piston for the cylinder 22 andthe latter is in communication with the interior of the casing 17 by anintake port 29 so that the lubricant may be drawn into the cylinder bythe reciprocation of the shaft 13 and expelled from the cylinder by anoutlet passage 30 equipped with a check valve 31 to which a pipe 32 isconnected. The pipe 32 extends upwardly with its upper end disposed overa passage 34 which leads to a chamber 35. The chamber 35 is formed inthe casing 17 for the purpose of receiving the anti-friction bearings 27and crank shaft 26 so that the lubricant supplied by the pipe 32 willthoroughly lubricate the anti-friction bearings, the crank shaft andpass from the chamber 35 about the crank shaft so as to lubricate thecrank thereof and the antifriction bearing 24.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it will be seen that a very efficient operatingmedium is provided for the compressor unit which will support the latterand is self-lubricating during its operation. Further, it is to be notedthat the compressor unit will take in and exhaust clean air free of anyoilvapors and only require a minimum amount of power for its operation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention, as claimed.

Having described the invention, I claim:

An air compressor comprising a housing, a shaft supported by saidhousing for vertical reciprocation, supporting elements carried by thehousing, a compressor plate secured to said elements, an outlet pipecarried by said plate, a check valve for the outlet pipe, a diaphragmconnected to the plate and in communication with the outlet pipe, amovable compressor plate secured to the diaphragm, said shaft having itsupper end of hollow formation and secured to the movable compressorplate and in communication with the interior of the diaphragm andprovided with ports communicating the hollow portion of the shaft to theatmosphere, a. check valve in the hollow portion of the shaft betweenthe ports and the diaphragm, and means carried by the housing forimparting movement to the shaft.

CLOYD L. ARMSTRONG.

